THE NORTH.

New Zealand Herald, Volume II, Issue 340, 14 December 1864, Page 4

THE NORTH.

Tin-: state of the IS'ortliem districts would | appear to be in a really critical position, if the j rumours which arrived in town yesterday are correct. A large number of disafieeted natives, ! Kuwait prisoners and others, were at Omalia and Mat alcana, aud, it is said, liad threatened to burn down Captain Meiklejohn's house as utii for the destruction of the pah, on the Tamahunga range, which we are told was destroyed by .Mr. Meiklcjohn soon after it was evacuated by its rebel inhabitants. The master of the vessel which came up yesterday, in going ashore to a spring for a keg of water was challenged by three native sentries, aiul only allowed to go accompanied with a native escort. All this occurred on Crown land. How long is such n state of things as this lo be continued? The effect upon the minds of the Northern settlers is already shewing itself. Cultivation is neglected—the all absorbing topic is the danger threatening them. Already the utmost alarm prevails, for rumours have gained currency among the settlers that a day for the general rising and massacre has been fixed—some say for Christmas day, others for the first day of the iu'wyenr —and though, of course, there islittlefear that the Natives have as yet reached this point of lawlessness, it is hardly to be supposed but that the existence of such reports amongst a scattered population, defenceless because not organised iV>r defence, should cause the greatest uneasiness and alarm. Tt is within the power of the authorities at once lo put down this state of anarchy and terrorism. The disaflected Natives in these districts are comparatively a handful. I'aikea, Tirerau, Otene, Winiata, Emera, and many of the principal chiefs are loyal and may be depended upon. To allow this lawlessness to remain unchecked is to encourage it, and to oiler afield for the commission of .some act of aggression, or defence from aggression, which may bring about far worse results than any which possibly could arise from manly and dignified interference on the part of the Government to maintain the supremacy of the law. W r e were informed yesterday by an Omaha settler, now in towu, that lie had seen and conversed that day in the streets of Auckland, with sonic twenty or more of the escaped prisoners from the Kawau —that they were at the time he spoke to us, in the purlieus of the Native Oilice. Have we returned to the good old days of the flour, sugar, and tobacco policy? Whether the rumours referred to above have any truth in them omot.it is the duty of all (■'oveniinent to provide for the safety of the people, aud to take such measures as shall rentier the possibility of any such occurrence so remote, that rumours such as those which nonspread terror and alarm would be totally disregarded.